Field of the Invention
The present disclosure generally relates to image processing, and more particularly, to an image processing apparatus applied to an image capturing apparatus, such as a digital video camera that generates a still image from a captured moving image, and an image processing method to obtain still image data which is in a good photographing condition.
Description of the Related Art
In recent years, the number of pixels of an image capturing apparatus that can capture a moving image is increasing rapidly. An image capturing apparatus that captures a moving image of a full HD (high definition) size has become widely used, and image capturing apparatuses that can capture a 4K2K moving image gradually appear on the market.
Because of such higher definition of moving image, an image of each frame of a moving image has a number of pixels sufficient to be used as a still image. Therefore, it is considered that a method to generate a still image from each frame of a moving image will be more prevalent.
A problem when generating a still image from a moving image is that it is difficult for a user to determine which frame is an optimal image as a still image.
For example, blur and defocus of an image are not perceived when the image is seen as a moving image because the image moves at all times, and such blur and defocus are often an unacceptable level when the image is seen as a still image.
It is very troublesome work for a user to check the image frame by frame.
To solve such a problem, for example, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-136557, an evaluation is performed based on information such as focus and exposure and photographing condition information such as image blur obtained from an angular velocity sensor.
A technique is disclosed which generates still image data by automatically selecting a frame image whose evaluation value is high or which satisfies a certain condition.
However, in the conventional example described above, a frame whose evaluation value has resulted to be high is merely selected from a photographed video image, and a probability that a frame with a high evaluation value appears largely depends on a photographing technique of a user and a photographing situation.
Further, it is considered that a probability that a plurality of evaluation values, such as focus, exposure, and image blur, are all high is lower. Therefore, obtaining a good still image may be difficult depending on a skill of a photographer and a situation of photographing.
The present disclosure is made in view of the above concerns, and the present disclosure provides an image processing apparatus that can easily generate an optimal image as a still image when generating the still image from a moving image.